As in the prologue, Daniel Sanders (KTM) was the fastest. The Australian won the first stage (Bisha – Bisha) of the Dakar 2025 this Saturday, January 4 in 4h41’27” ahead of defending champion Ricky Brabec (Honda, + 2’04”) while Ross Branch (Hero, + 2’26”) completed the podium. First Frenchman, Adrien van Beveren (Honda, + 14’44”) ranked 8th in the stage.
“The bike runs well, the body feels good”
The 30-year-old KTM rider, who aims to become the second Australian to win the Dakar on a Motorcycle after Toby Price (2016 and 2018), took the lead in the special at kilometer 151 and managed to stay there, although than closely followed. The winner of the last Morocco rally was ultimately timed at 4:41:27 on the 413 km special, leaving his pursuers Ricky Brabec, defending champion, and Ross Branch two minutes behind.
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Riding his Honda, Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren finished 8th, almost a quarter of an hour behind the leader. “The second half was much better, once I got out of all that dust. The bike runs well, the body feels good”declared Daniel Sanders upon his arrival in the bivouac. Tracing an 8,000km curve through Saudi Arabia, the famous rally-raid will culminate on January 17 in the desert dunes of the Empty Quarter, on the border with the United Arab Emirates.
